Neuroterus pattersoni (sexgen)

Numerous lenticular blister galls on the lamina of Quercus stellata, often clustered in one part of the leaf. So far observed only in Texas, from Austin to Dallas, they are fresh in May and emerge in June. Kinsey took this for a sexual generation variety of Neuroterus niger, but recent research has shown that the sexual generation of that species on Quercus stellata is likely more similar to Neuroterus evanescens, suggesting N pattersoni is a distinct species.

Neuroterus pattersoni was demoted to junior synonym of Neuroterus niger by Nicholls et al 2022. However, the basis of this synonymy is unclear, and obvious contradictions between the morphology of pattersoni and the sexgen gall of N niger were not addressed. Therefore, we persist in treating N pattersoni as a distinct species pending further information.

Tentatively presumed to be found on Q margaretiae on the basis of this unconfirmed observation

Neuroterus niger variety pattersoni, new variety
bisexual form pattersoni, new form

GALL. — Circular, not elongate, very slightly smaller than nigripes, with more well-defined boundaries and without a trace of a central point on the upper surface. On Quercus stellata (fig. 43).

RANGE. — Texas: Austin (Patterson coll.).

Dr. Patterson, for whom this variety is named, collected and bred the type material. He states that in 1921 the gall first appeared March 10, the adults beginning to emerge on May 7. Dr. Patterson sent me records (a year ago) of breeding 453 females and 450 males, making the important observation that a single leaf of galls usually yields only a single sex of the wasp. The detailed record of these observations I should leave for Dr. Patterson to publish. It would appear that the agamic females are of two sorts, either female- or male-egg-producing. What is evidently the agamic form of pattersoni is described in the following paragraph.

Neuroterus pattersoni (sexgen)

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Neuroterus pattersoni (sexgen) sexgen: The sexual generation (AKA bisexual generation or sexgen) of an oak gall wasp (cynipini) species consists of both male and female wasps, which mate before the females lay eggs which will mature to form the all-female agamic generation. View in glossary →

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Neuroterus pattersoni (sexgen)